


Between worlds

by Isilloth



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: F/M, Illustrated Fic, Romance to Come
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:26:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24946834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Isilloth/pseuds/Isilloth
Summary: Cirilla is imprisoned in Eredin's dungeons when Avallac'h decides to help her. They run away together.
Relationships: Avallac'h | Crevan Espane aep Caomhan Macha/Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	1. The Flight

Avallac'h enjoyed the last rays of the sun this day. Red sunrays reflected in the glass of wine, which he drunk on the terrace of his mansion. From the inside of the house, he heard sounds of conversation and after a while man came outside. Royal messenger, judging by the outfit. What could Eredin want from him? Avallac'h felt interested.

"My lord", messenger started, bowing low. "I have information for you."

"Speak then."

"We caught Zirael. She is in the dungeon of the palace."

"I understand", Avallac'h said shortly, but his mind was galloping. Zirael, here. What should he do?

He was thinking about this for a long time. He should save her, that was sure. Who knows what Eredin planned. Maybe he would execute here in the spur of rage? "I want to see her." He had to come up with something and rescue her even if it would be his end. It was worth it, once in life he could do something decent. And saving the world was such a thing. Then he would persuade her to help them, somehow.

"I don't know if this is possible. You had to talk with the king."

He would have to grovel before Eredin again. Excellent.

“What does he want from her? What is he going to do?” he asked before he restrained himself. The messenger for sure would tell the king about his interest.

“I don’t know, my lord”

“You may go,” he said eventually, dismissing the messenger with a gesture.

Later he was sitting on the terrace, looking into the wide garden, which surrounded his house. He was plotting what to do.

* * *

“Ha, Crevan, nice to see you.” Eredin was spreading on the throne, still dressed in his armour, looking like if there still would be blood on him. And maybe there was. His voice was dripping of sarcasm.

“Mutually, your highness,” he, to the contrary, was perfectly calm, trying not to betray with any emotion. And he was good at it.

“So, what brings you here? I heard you want to see our Zirael. I’m not sure about that. What is swarming in this grey head of you? Who knows, maybe you want to rescue her? Not possible. But I gladly would see how you try.”

Eredin saw through him easily. Good, maybe he expected his action, but it doesn’t matter. He would do it anyway. He is smarter than this so-called king, he would find the way.

“I’m not stupid,” said Avallac’h. “I won’t try anything, trust me, but I want to see her.”

“I knew you would want this. After all, in her is yours Lara likeness,” he said mockingly.

Avallac’h winced. He hated when Eredin mentioned her. When anyone mentioned her.

“I allow you quick rendezvous with her.” Eredin beckoned to the guardian and whispered something in his ear. The guardian rushed out of the throne room. Avallac’h stood there in uncomfortable silence. Soon the elf returned, with two other soldiers.

“Led him to our new prisoner. But be watchful!”

He followed one of the new guardians, while the other one was behind him. They probably didn’t know the human language anyway, but Avallac’h would feel better if they didn’t hear his conversation with Zirael. After all, Eredin could choose soldiers who knew Common Speech of Aen Sidhe’s world.

The stairs to the dungeon were narrow and steep. Stone walls seemed to be thick and there was a little light. All place looked rather grim, especially in comparison to the palace on the surface. He imagined Zirael won’t be in very good shape after spending here few days. 

She was the only prisoner here. Not like Aen Elle didn’t punish their criminals, just not many of them end up in this place, in the king’s palace dungeon. It was a place for special persons, and break from here would be definitely more difficult than from regular jail.

Zirael was sitting on the bunk. Her hands were cuffed with dimeritium and she had a bruised face. Probably not only on the face. She looked into the darkness of her cell, only briefly glancing at him and the soldiers and then looking away once again. She changed in these few years since she had been here. She was merely a child back then, now she was a woman. Despite the darkness, he saw her green eyes and the memories hit him. He quickly shook it off.

“Zirael..” he started, approaching the bars. The guardians stood were they stood, but surely they were listening carefully. “Zirael, I’m here to help,” he said in Common Speech.

She lifted her gaze on him but didn’t speak.

“I’ll help you, you’ll see,” he whispered, not to be heard by guardians. “You just have to trust me and wait a little while. I…”

“How?!” she shouted. Her voice was harsh, not used to speaking for a while. “I remember how you helped me last time!”

“Be calm, Zirael,” he whispered again, pressing his face to the bars. He heard like the soldiers behind him moved anxiously.

“I’m done with being calm,” she said much quieter, but still angrily. “But I wait for your ‘help’. I’m not going anywhere,” she lifted hands with dimeritium cuffs. He would have to take it off somehow… And he wouldn’t be able to teleport here. Maybe Zirael would, but not with this on her hands. He looked around. It won’t be easy to break into it, and he would have to do it all by himself. But the stake is high…

“It’s enough. You talked, now let’s go.” One of the soldiers stepped out, Avallac’h turned to him and nodded. He saw what was to be seen here. Now he must prepare the plan.

* * *

It was in the death of the night, the darkest hour. He took some most important things to his bag, knowing he wouldn’t be able to go back here. Ever. Or at least in a very long time. He wore the cloak with the hood and concealed his presence with magic. But he knew in dungeons it will be all for nothing. His magic wouldn’t work there he felt it, weakness creeping into his bones when he visited Zirael. But it should be enough to sneak up to the dungeons. Later he would have to rely on his cunning.

Avallac’h somehow got to the castle undetected. If it wasn’t only Eredin’s trap to make him criminal. It crossed his mind. But it was too late to withdraw. And, besides this, he heard Zirael was to be executed. He couldn’t allow this, the world would be in grave danger. But maybe Eredin didn’t have any better idea for her. Maybe he didn’t manage to somehow persuade her to cooperate.

He remembered the way to dungeons. He managed to walk past the guardians in the castle. Everyone else was now fast asleep. The hardest part of his mission began.

The first guardian was easy. He stood outside the dungeons, turned with his back to him, so Avallac’h undercut his throat in one smooth motion, without the sound. The keys to dungeons were hanging on his neck. Avallac'h took it and opened the doors. He heard conversations of the guardians down in the underground. They must have played the cards or dice, judging by their voices. Of course, this didn't mean they wouldn't hear him. But he prepared something for them. He smiled to himself.

He went down the stairs, as silently as he managed. Magic couldn’t protect him anymore, he was painfully aware of this. This weakness was here once again. He hoped that his magic equipment and cloak as still working. It should be so, but of course, he wasn’t sure how strong the security was. There was no way of knowing, but trying. He still was hiding in the shadows, but he had to step out to reach Zirael’s cell. He looked at her direction and met her eyes. Her eyes expressed amazement, she had to not believe in his rescue. Or think him a fool to get down into dungeons. The dungeons which, without doubt, would become also his prison if he fails. Did he even stand a chance? But it was too late to meaningless deliberations. He, for once, had to act.

He stepped out of the shadows, counting on distracted attention of the guards. But it couldn’t last long, one of the four present soldiers, saw him as soon as he got to Zirael’s cell. He needed time to open the lock. The prisoner approached the bars. Thankfully she wasn’t chained to the wall, nor her legs weren’t cuffed.

“You came,” she said. “I didn’t expect…”

“Quick, cover the face!” There was no time for conversation. He threw her the scarf and covered his face too. It had to be enough. He pulled out the glass bottle from his bag and threw it at the floor beneath the guardians’ feet. It broke, the liquid spilt and gas started to exude. Before the soldiers were able to react, legs buckled under them, and they fall.

“Are they dead?” Zirael asked, her face tightly covered.

‘No, I couldn’t risk…” he took out his equipment. It was mostly the lockpicks, but with nice, magical touch. He could use it even as regular lockpicks, but he wasn’t master burglar, it would take a time which he was lacking. Fortunately, it works, and after a few minutes, the doors of the cell was opened. Good, because the anaesthetic gas started to penetrate their covers, Avallac’h could feel it. They had to leave. He probably wouldn’t be able to take off Zirael’s handcuff now, they had to go upstairs and open the portal. Maybe none notice Zirael’s disappearance before they would be far away.

“We had to go upstairs, quickly!” He pulled her and they started to go up. But as soon as they reach the first step he heard the steps upstairs. Steps of heavy, shod boots. It was over…

“I don’t have any weapon!” she cried out. Her hands were still cuffed, she couldn’t move them to a different world.

“I took something for you.”

They came out the dungeons straight on Eredin and his people. They were fully equipped, no chance that Dearg Ruadhri were just woken up from sleep. It had to be a trap indeed. So why they came so late?

“Crevan, you came. Sooner than later, but don’t think you manage to escape,” the king bared his teeth in the frightening smile.

They were surrounded and there was no way of escape. Not in this palace. He made a few hand movements and hit Eredin with a powerful spell. It only pushed him and his soldiers away, but it bought them some time, and Avallac’h managed to open the portal. It wouldn’t take them to a different world, but far enough from the castle. He pushed Zirael into it and quickly shut it. There was no time.

“Give me your hands!”

He started to work with the lock as quickly as he could. But it wasn’t easy. Even slightest the touch of dimeritium made him dizzy. In a moment around them, the Red Riders started to appear. For them, it was easy as a pie to travel across the Aen Elle’s world. He thought it would be too late, that they are to be caught, but then the cuffs fell.

“Move us to another world!”

Zirael took his hand without the word. Then it started.

Tinnitus. Flash and brightness. And then darkness.


	2. On the run

They fell on the grass. Avallac’h laid on her, but he quickly stood up and cleaned himself from non-existent dirt. At last, she was on the ground. Not that anything anymore could damage her used-to-be-white shirt.

“Are you okay?” the elf asked.

“Relatively.”

“Are you hurt? I should probably examine that…”

“It’s only a few scratches. I’ll be alright. You said you have a weapon for me?”

“Oh, yeah,” murmured Avallac’h. “I would have a little use of it, I’m not a warrior.”

He reached under his cloak and unfastened the belt with the sword in a sheath. He handed it to her. Ciri drew it, examining, as closely as she could in the grey light of coming dawn. It was a fine weapon, elven making, decorated with runes in Older Speech. It should serve her well.

“Are we safe there?” she asked, despite the fact she knew the answer. They weren’t safe anywhere.

“For some time, maybe. But Eredin has good navigators. Now, we should rest as long as we can. Are you hungry? I took something from home.”

As soon as Avallac’h mentioned t, she felt the hunger twisting her guts. In prison there was not much to eat, and before she also didn’t feast.

“Sure.”

Avallac’h took out some bread and dried fruits. They ate in silence.

“I also took a blanket for you,” he said, as they finished, and gave her piece of cloth. She was so very tired, with every muscle aching from an uncomfortable position in which she had to sit in a cell, in handcuffs. She spent a lot of time motionless, she thought, when she tried to stretch her sore body.

She wrapped in a blanket and laid on the ground. They landed on the meadow, near the forest. In some foreign world. It wouldn’t be the best for her sore bod, but she didn’t have a choice. The bed was only in his dreams. Tomorrow they would have to find some water, she had to wash, herself and her clothes.

“Avallac’h?” she whispered before she drifted off to sleep.

“Yes, Zirael?” the elf also laid down to sleep.

“Thank you.”

* * *

She woke up to warm of the fire Avallac’h must have lighted. Her body still was aching and she was quite cold from laying on the ground. Thankfully, the sun was already high on the sky, but in this world is must have been autumn, as the leaves, as she realized now, were already orange and yellow and some were laying on the ground.

“Why didn’t they find us yet?” she asked, looking around like if Eredin was to jump out of the nearest tree.

“I don’t know,” Avallac’h seemed to be fully committed to keeping up the fire, not looking her in eyes. Did he already regret that he saved here? “Maybe it’s some distant world… But we change it only once, they should be able to track us quickly.”

“So what are we doing here anymore? It’s unsafe.”

“You were weary. But now we have to go, find a better place. Maybe change it a few more times.”

“Yeah, and I really need to wash, I’m filthy. We need to find some water.”

“I put the fire down and we can go.”

He trampled the fire and looked at her expectantly. She took his hand and focused on leaving the world.

Tinnitus. Flash and brightness. And then darkness.

* * *

They, once again, landed hard, but this time they managed to stay. And once again they were alone, in the middle of the forest. No water in sight.

“Are we keep going?” she asked.

Avallac’h only nodded. She squeezed his hand.

Tinnitus. Flash and brightness. And then darkness.

* * *

They hopped through the six worlds already, and Ciri started to feel dizzy. It was quite burdensome, and when they landed on a green meadow, near a stream and lake to which it was coming, she thought it would be a perfect place. She dreamt about clear water on her skin.

“We’re staying,” she said, as soon as they reach this world and stood on the green grass.

“I hope they won’t find us anytime soon,” said Avallac’h, looking around. She noticed he was quite pleased with what he saw.

Ciri promptly approached the lake. She hesitated for a moment, and looked at her companion, but decided his presence didn’t bother her. If he had problems with that he always could turn his gaze. She started to unbutton her shirt and corset. Then she took off her boots and pants and got into the lake. It was clear and quite cold, but pleasant. She dipped to the neck and only then she turned at looked at Avallac’h. He, tactfully, looked away.

“Would you pass me a blanket? Or maybe do you take towels in this magic bag of yours?” she asked, after a while.

“No, I didn’t.”

“It’s a pity,” she emerged from the lake, covering her breast. Avallac’h gave her a blanket, still avoiding looking at her.

“Am I so disgusting to you that you can’t look at my body?” 

“Do you really think that’s the reason?” he asked, looking her straight in the eyes.

“I never think you, elves, such prudes,” she said, wrapped in the blanket.

Avallac’h didn’t honour her with an answer. She, still in blanket carefully wrapped on her body, washed her clothes and hanged on a tree. They should quickly dry on the sun. Hopefully, they wouldn’t have to run without her clothes.

Avallac’h refilled his waterskin and started to collect brushwood. The sun may be high on the sky, but it wasn’t so warm as she initially thought. It would be nice to dry next to the fire. The elf prepared the woods, and in a few moments, she could sit in comfortable warm. They set in silence for a while, but it wasn’t very uncomfortable, at least not for her. Ciri wasn’t used to another person presence lately, not counting Eredin’s guards, so someone’s presence was a nice change. Even if she wouldn’t choose him as a companion in any case.

“So…” she started, with hesitation. “Why did you decide to free me? And condemn yourself to exile?”

“Well, I figure out you’re our only hope,” he said after a moment. “To overcome the White Frost. Without you, we are doomed, and you would need my help to do this, not brutality of Eredin and his riders.”

Ciri only murmured as an answer. She thought he would say something like this. Aen Elle didn't help with a good heart, he had to have some interest in it. She was lucky he decided to defy his king just now when she was imprisoned. Who knew what Eredin what do to her. Did he plan another royal elvish child, or maybe an execution? Better not to know. 

* * *

She woke up to dying fire. Avallac’h also fell asleep, although she wondered if they shouldn’t keep a guard. But an elf said he would felt if Eredin and his riders travel to this world. She still was wrapped in the blanket, naked, and the night was quite cold here. She shivered. Her clothes were already dry, so she started to put them on. After all her shirt was rather not to be saved – the stains of dirt and blood haven’t washed out. Maybe if she had soap… Well, in the next habited world she would have to get some new clothes. In her lonely journey, she rather avoided people, but sometimes she just mixed in the crowd. It was nice to sometimes talk to somebody, she couldn’t live completely on her own for years.

Suddenly, Avallac’h jumped up from sleep. He looked so alerted she forgot she didn’t even button her shirt.

“They’re coming!” he exclaimed. Ciri, panicked, grabbed the rest of her belongings and Avallac’h’s hand. She was ready to move when one of the riders showed up in the place where they landed, soon to be followed by the next one. She focused and hopped from this friendly world.


End file.
